Guwahati: Nine suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh remained stranded in no-man's land along the India-Bangladesh border near Assam's South Salmara-Mankachar district on Monday as the standoff between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and BSF continued for over 24 hours.
Indian security forces blocked the group from entering India on Saturday night. However, BGB refused to let them return to Bangladesh until BSF or the Indian government initiated official repatriation protocols.
Residents Alerted on Sunday
The district's residents became aware of the development at 5 am on Sunday, but the impasse continued till Monday evening, officials said. There is no information on whether official communication has been established with the Bangladesh authorities regarding the fate of these nine people, which includes women and children as well.
“District authorities have informed the Assam government about the situation with hope for a solution,” said a senior official of the South Salmara Mankachar district administration on Monday.
Humanitarian Assistance Provided
Sources said on humanitarian grounds, food is being offered to them from both Indian and Bangladesh sides. According to video footage, one of the stranded persons admitted that a middleman brought them to South Salmara Mankachar. However, exactly where they were apprehended is not clear. BSF officials whom TOI contacted were not ready to give any comment.
Increase in Infiltration Attempts
In recent weeks, infiltration attempts from Bangladesh have increased in the northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. Assam Police and the BSF stopped 21 infiltrators from entering India on Saturday night. Almost at the same time, tension erupted in South Salmara-Mankachar district along the Bangladesh border, with nine people still stranded in no-man's land.
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